Automatic bag-making machine



INVENTOR T 4! I o w, 1 Ilnliinn.

Sept. 11, 1956 H. A. MEAD AUTOMATIC BAG-MAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Harvyfl. Mfiqd ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 20, 1952 km hm Q.- m mm Q NW, mm Q Q & Mm Q mm mm H mm 3m. v

Wm Q h n m %\u INVENTOR Harryfl. Mead BY W ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1956 H. A. MEAD 2, 7

AUTOMATIC BAG-MAKING MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Har' yfl Mead P 1, 1956 H. A. MEAD AUTOMATIC BAG-MAKING MACHINE 5 sheets sheet 4 Filed Sept. 20, 1952 m w m H ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1956 H. A. MEAD AUTOMATIC BAG-MAKING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. '20, 1952 ATTORNEY United States Patent AUTOMATIC BAG-MAKING MACHINE Harry A. Mead, Ashley, Ohio Application September 20, 1952, Serial No. 310,637

11 Claims. (Cl. 93-18) This invention relates to automatic bag-making machines, having particular reference to machines of the type in which continuous strips or webs of paper, or other non-woven, cellulose sheet materials, are advanced in a guided manner through the machines and therein subjected to automatically performed folding and sealing operations to produce bags closed at the sides and bottoms thereof and open at their tops.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a bag-making machine of this character with improved continuously operating mechanism for, first, folding a moving uninterrupted sheet to overlap and adhesively unite the outer longitudinal edges thereof to form a flattened tube; a second, to sever said tube transversely thereof at definite longitudinal intervals to form openended bag sections; and, third, to automatically fold and seal the open ends forming the bottoms of the bag sections.

Another object of the invention is to provide in such bag-making machines rotary cutting mechanism for severing transversely the bag-forming material fed to the machines into suitable bag-forming sections or lengths.

Another object is to provide cooperative mechanism by which the flat cellulose sheet material, fed through the machine and from which bags are formed, is subjected to operations causing said material to be folded upon itself in a manner producing longitudinally extending overlapping edges, cooperative folding means being provided in the machine by which such edges are continuously sealed, so that the material assumes the form of a flat tube or sleeve prior to the transverse severing thereof into bag lengths and also prior to having the bottom edges thereof folded, sealed and permanently closed.

A further object is to provide a machine so formed as to enable bags formed therein to be produced from a plurality of sheets or webs of materials drawn from separate rolls and wherein provision is made for effecting relative registry of the sheets or webs so that the same may be folded into tubular interfitting order and each provided with overlapping longitudinally sealed edges disposed in relatively offset relation.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a bag-making machine of the nature set forth wherein a novel drive mechanism is provided which is used in common for effecting the synchronous rotation of bottomfolding and sealing rolls and also the operation of rotary bag length-determining cutters, said drive mechanism being so constructed as to be adjustable during operation of the machine, whereby to vary the timing of the cutters with respect to the functioning of the bottom-folding and sealing rolls.

An additional important object of the invention is to provide a machine for producing economically and rapidly bags or receptacles from cellulose sheets, in which a pair of power-driven rotary sealing and folding cylinders are provided and to which flat tubular bag-forming sections are advanced by a conveyor mechanism in single successive order, the sections being first delivered to a 2,762,271 Patented Sept. 1 1 1956 lower sealing cylinder provided with movable gripping and heating devices, the latter being cam-actuated during rotation of the sealing cylinder to cause said devices to grip the ends of the engaged bag sections as the latter are advanced by the conveyor mechanism in a manner removing the bag sections from said conveyor mechanism' and causing rotatable movement of the bag sections in unison with the sealing cylinder, whereby during such movement heat is applied to the edges of the bag sections gripped by said cylinder devices to unite thermally the device-engaged bottom-forming edge portions of the sections in a manner closing permanently the bottom end of each section.

Further, it is an object to provide a machine of this character in which the bag sections following fusion of their bottom' edges are transferred automatically from the lower fusion or sealing cylinder to an upper bottom edge folding cylinder, the latter being provided with movable cam actuated edge-gripping devices so formed and timed as to effect the removal of bag sections from the lower or sealing cylinder during its rotation and cause said removed sections to be gripped by said devices and rotated in unison with the outer peripheral surface of the upper or folding cylinder.

Still another object is to provide the upper folding cylinder of such a bag-forming machine with means for applying an adhesive to selected portions of the heatfused edges of the bag sections, and thereafter folding such edges upon themselves to reenforce the closed bottom edge of the bags by produicng multiple plies of the cellulose sheet stock from which said sections are formed, the folded edges being pressed together for adhesive union only, the bag edges while undergoing such pressing being positively cooled to preclude, while the bag sections are engaged by the folding cylinder, any further heat fusion, except that produced in the associated lower or sealing cylinder.

Other objects of the invention are to provide: an automatic bag-making machine of the character set forth which will operate to produce bags at a high rate of out put; a machine which requires but little manual attention, so that bags produced thereon may be made at low cost and, also, in a manner devoid of structural imperfections; a machine of this nature which is simple in construction, reliable in operation and easy to maintain in operational order, and one which constitutes generally an improvement upon bag-making machines of the character set forth.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a bagmaking machine formed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view disclosing the drive mechanism employed for imparting motion to the bottom-closing sealing and folding cylinders, the web-advancing rolls, the rotary web-cutting or severing mechanism and the adhesive applicator rolls;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on a somewhat enlarged scale, disclosing in side elevation the drive mechanism by which motion is transferred from one of the bottom closing and sealing cylinders to the rotary bag-section cutting mechanism, including the adjustable means by which the timing of the cutting mechanism may be varied with respect to the operation of the associated sealing and folding cylinders;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, transverse sectional view of the bottom edge folding cylinder of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the lower bottom edge sealfrom the mill roll of the machine;

. paper web.

ing cylinder and its associated bag. section: gripping. and heating devices;

Figy ll is a fragmentary top plan view of the table portion of the machine in which the bag-forming cellulose web is folded into the shape of a fiat tube;

' Fig; '12 is an end' elevational view of one of the curling plates used in the web-folding operation;

Fig. 13 is a transverse sectional view disclosing a rotary V adhesive applicatorfor applying spacedadhesivestripes to the unfolded flat paper web as the latter is withdrawn Fig. 14 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through a folded bag section formed from a single web .of material; a

Fig. is a similar view showing a bag section when composed of a pair of webs;

' Fig. 16 .is a detail elevational viewof, the machine of the present invention when equipped with a pair of mill rolls to produce multiple web bags. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings by numerals, there is designated at 1 an elongated sheet or web of cellulose material such as paper, cellophane, or other transparent, paperlike products of viscose; for example, those used in the wrapping or retention of candy or other articles of confectionery. This material is unwound from a mill roll 2, which is rotatably supported in connection with the frame 3 of the machine. The sheet or web is extended in flat form from the roll, passing over suitable guide wheels 4 and around an enlarged guide wheel 4a.

During travel of the web 1' around the wheel 4a, the

web, adjacent to one of its longitudinal edges, contacts the periphery of an adhesive-applying roll 4b which is rotatably supported in connection with'an adhesive-holding receptacle 40.. This construction applies a pair of spaced adhesive strips 4d to theweb or sheet 1, as shown in Fig. 13, a pair of such stripes being applied instead of one to. assure a more complete sealing of the bag against moisture intrusion, as will be later explained;

From the wheel 4a the web 1, with the adhesive stripes r,

on an edge thereof, is drawn downwardly and longitudinally toward a stationary table 9. On thi table there is mounted a curling plate'5, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. "This plate is so formed that the outer longitudinal edges axes of rotation arranged in forwardly converging relatively angular order, so that the folding operation initiated by the curling plate 5 will be completed by the angular toe rolls 7,, forming the web into the form of a flat tube,

as indicated at 10 in Fig. 14, the over-lapping edges of the web being adhesively united by' the strips 4d. The circumferential surfaces of the rolls 7 may be covered with rubber, or other friction-producing material, whereby to enable the rolls to operate more positively on the 7 After passing "under the toe rolls and over'the horizontal table 9 supported in connection with the frame 3 i'OfilIlG machine, the tubular length of material -6 passes between a pair of draw rolls indicated at 10, the latter being suitably supported for rotation transversely. of. the 'm'achine in connection with the frame 3. The rolls 10 serve to draw the sheet or web-forming material from the --mi'll roll 2, moving the same over the adhesive applicator 7 5 of the web, when drawn through the forwardly converging 1 Forwardly, beyond the drawing rolls 10, the frame in' 'cludes a transversely. extending stationary bar 11 located at the extreme forward end of. the tablejextension 901.

Above the forward edge of'thisextension there is rotatably supported in the machine frame 3 acutter'roll 12,

the latter extending. transversely of. the frame above the forward edge of the table extension 9a for cooperation with the stationary" barfll. in..the transverse severing. of the tube 6 into bag sections b of suitable length. To this end, the cutter roll '12 includes radially disposed knives.

13, the latter coacting withthe stationary shearing bar 11 in providing means for cleanly severing the tube o into 7 sections of desired and corresponding lengths.

, These severed sections aredeposited upon the upper runs of aforw-ardly and longitudinally extending: and

downwardly inclined'conveyorl la Preferably, this conveyor is composed of a plurality of endless V-belts 15,-.

which pass around frame-carried rollers 16. In cooperation. with the conveyor 14, the movement of the severed bag lengths in unison with the upper runs of the'belts 15 is controlled and positively established through the employment of an upper conveyor 17. This upper conveyor, also, consists of aplurality of endless V-beltsi 18 which pass around longitudinally spaced frame-carried'rollers 1?. The rollers 16 and 19 are suitably drivenfrom the operating motor 20 of ,the machine, the linear speed of the conveyors. 14 and 17 being approximately the same in feetper minute as the rotational speed of. the outer circumferential portion of an associated heat-sealing cylinder 21.v The latter is. rotatablycarried by the frame 3 at the forward end of the conveyor 14 at a position above the upper: runs of the belts. 15, as shownin Figs. 6,7 and 8 of the drawings; V a

The construction of the cylinder '21-and parts carried thereby constitutes one of. the important features of the present invention. The previously described parts of the machine are subject to considerable change but the cylin- V der.21 and 'its' associatediand upwardly placed folding cylinder 22 comprise essential elements in the functioning of my improved machine.

The'se'alin'g cylinder 21 has been shown in this instance as'being' r'otative with a transversely extending shaft 23 which is mounted for rotation in bearings '24 carried'by' the frame'3. At one end, the cylinders 21 carry a gear 25, the teeth of which mesh with those of the companiongear 25 carried by the upper folding cylinder '22. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower gear 25 meshes with a'fran esupported rotatable pinion 26 mounted on a shaft 27. This shaft carries a wheel'or sprocket 28' around which passes an endless belt or chain 29, the latter leading to a smaller wheel or sprocket 30 which is carried by the anna: ture shaft 31 of the motor 29. By these means, or their equivalent, rotary motion is" imparted to the cylinders 21 and 22, the lower cylinder 21 rotating in a clockwise direction, as indicated in Figs. 6, 7 and Sby the letter v, while the upper cylinder of the bag-sealing and folding mech- The lower or heat-sealing cylinder 21 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed shafts 32' which effect the pivotal support of a pair of movable clamping' members 33. While I haveshown and described a pairof the clamping members 33 for each of the rolls'21, neverthe less it will beunderstcod that the roll 'or cylinder 21 may carry one or more of such clamping members. In this Instance, each clamping member is formed to include a l1p extension 34 provided with a perforated fiat clamping surface 35.; the lip extension ,of each clamping member being disposed so thatv it projects beyond the outer perip'hery' of the cylinder 21 when the clamping members occupy open positions, as in Figs. 6 and 7.

Each clamping member is mounted for turning movement about the axis of its shaft 32. At one end thereof, each shaft 32 and its associated clamping member 33 carries an arm extension 36. On the inner end of this arm extension there is mounted a roller 37 which engages with the periphery of a cam 38, the latter being fixed in connection with the frame 3 of the machine, whereby as the cylinder 21 rotates rocking movement will be imparted to the clamping members 33 by the engagement which exists between the rollers 37 and the irregular peripheral surface of the cam 38.

The under or outer side of the lip extension 35 of each of said clamping members is beveled as at 39 for registry with the upper runs of the belts 15. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, when the bag lengths b are advanced by the belts forwardly of the machine, the bag sections contact, adjacent to the extreme forward end of the conveyor 14, with stationary riser extensions 40. These riser extensions cause the bag lengths to be elevated from the surfaces of the belts 15 and deposited on the flat surfaces of the perforated lip extensions 34 of said clamping members, the bag sections overlying the closely disposed perforations 41 present in said lip extension, the purpose of which being to prevent undesired displacement of the bag sections as the same are gripped or released by said clamping members.

Also carried by each of the cylinders 21 are movable heating and sealing anvil-forming members 42. These members extend lengthwise of the cylinder 21 and are coextensive with and parallel to the lip extensions 34 of the clamping members 33. Each of the heating and sealing members 42 constitutes a bar-shaped body formed with a slot 43 in which is received a pin 44. The body of each member 42 further includes on the inner side thereof a shelf 45 pressed by one or more coil springs 46 in an outward direction. Normally, the members 42, there being in this instance a pair of the latter carried by the cylinder 21, are each formed with a flat face 47, which is arranged at the periphery of the cylinder 21, and is normally spaced from the surface 35 of the associated clamping member.

When a bag b rides up on the surface 35 of a clamping member, as shown in Fig.7 of the drawings, the rotation of the cylinder 21 effects such engagement between the roller 37 and the periphery of the cam 38 as to rock the clamping member 33 inwardly of the cylinder, causing the same to assume the position disclosed in Fig. 8 of the drawings. It will be noted that when the clamping member occupies the position of Fig. 8, and also that of Fig. 5, the forward end of the bag length b will be confined and gripped between the surfaces 35 and 47, whereby the bag is tightly held and caused to rotate in unison with the cylinder 21, the bag being thus removed from the conveyor 14 and transferred to the lower cylinder 21 for rotation therewith.

By providing each of the cylinders 21 with a multiplicity of the movable clamping and sealing members, spaced around the cylinder, the said cylinder carried members will be synchronized with the speed of motion of the con- .veyor 14 to receive the bag lengths just as fast as they are delivered to the cylinder by the conveyor. Preferably, the linear rate of speed of the belts 15 is coordinated with the rotational rate of travel of the clamping bars 33 so that proper delivery of the bags is thus assured.

An important feature in this construction resides in the fact that the heating members .2 are movably mounted on the cylinder 21 by the employment of the slot and pin construction 43 and 44 and the associated springs 46. The arrangement of the parts shown in Fig. 8 is such that the lip extension 34 has just initially clamped one of the bag lengths b in contact with the heating member 42. As a result of its yieldability, the member 42 and the clamping member 33 have a sliding and rubbing engagement with the edge surfaces of the bag length. This sliding and rubbing motion is evident by comparing the part arrange- 6 merits shown in Fig. 8 with those of Fig. 5 In the latter figure, the clamping member 34 is in its full position of clamping engagement with the bag length b, and the movable heating and sealing member 42 is in its final position. In Fig. 5, it will be noted that the surfaces 35 and 47 are in parallelism, and this is true through approximately degrees of turning movement of the cylinder.

Each of the heating or sealing members is provided preferably with an internal electric resistor 48 by which the same may be heated to desired temperatures, the temperatures being adequate to produce thermal joinder or adhesion or fusion of the end of each bag length pinched between the members 35 and 47. Thus the end or bottom of each bag length is heat-bonded and joined together while the bag length is gripped between the members 33 and 42. This action is completed in about 180 degrees of travel of the lower cylinder, at which time the bonded bag length is transferred to the upper cylinder 22, where the heat-bonded edge of each bag length is folded upon the body of the bag and adhesively joined therewith, producing multiple plies or thicknesses of material along the closed or bottom edge of each completed bag.

The body of each of the anvil members is formed with a longitudinal pocket 48a in which is positioned the electrically energized resistor 48. Upon the passage of current through the resistor the latter becomes heated to temperatures sufficient to heat the anvil members to bagfusion temperatures. The conductors 48c for leading current to the resistors extend through the tubular shaft 23 to external collector rings 48d.

The upper edge-folding cylinder 22 is rotatably mounted on a rotary shaft 49, journaled in the frame 3 above and in parallel relationship with the shaft 23. This cylinder carries a gear 25', which meshes with the gear 25 cf the lower roll or cylinder, so that the said rolls or cylinders will be driven in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows v and w.

The upper cylinder has been shown as carrying a pair of movable bag-gripping devices 50, the latter being pivotally carried on shafts 51 supported by the cylinder 22 in parallel relation with the shaft 49. Each of the gripping devices is formed with a beveled nose portion 52, while an outer end of each shaft 51 is equipped with an arm 52' having a roller 53, the latter being engageable with the periphery of a cam 54 stationarily mounted in connection with the frame 3.

When the edge of a bag is clamped between the members 33 and 42, after the manner disclosed in Fig. 5 of the drawings, a radially projecting tuck-forming bar 55, which is stationarily carried by the cylinder 21, engages the bag b in a manner producing a partial fold or tuck 56 therein, the latter projecting beyond the peripheral portion of the roll 21. When this fold or tuck reaches the top of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 8, the same registers with a radial wall 57 formed in connection with slots 58 formed longitudinally in the roll 22. At the time of initial contact of the partial folds 56 with the radial walls 57, the cam 54 of the upper roll or cylinder operates the gripping members 50 to cause their nose extensions 52 to pinch the folds 56, firmly holding the latter against the radial walls 57. At this time, the peripheral contour of the cam 38 is such as to produce movement of the clamping member 33 to cause the latter to release a gripped bag, thereby transferring the heat-bonded bag from the lower roll or cylinder and causing it to be caught by the upper roll or cylinder 22, the bags rotating with the latter cylinder in the direction indicated by the arrow w. The heatbonded portion of the bag produces a flap indicated at 59.

The fiap on each of the bags so formed assumes the position disclosed in Fig. 4 of the drawings, and this flap is adapted to be turned down on the adjacent body portions of the bag and adhesively secured thereto, whereby to reinforce and strengthen the closed or bottom edge 1 the lower cylinder-21.

of the bags invention. I

To. this end there is employed an adhesive container 60, inwhich is arranged a roll 61. Adjacent the roll 61 there is provided a rotary shaft 62 formed with radial blades 63. These blades are disposed to contact the periphery of the roll 61 and, through the sustained rotation of the shaft 62, to cause the'edges of the blades, after receiving adhesive from the periphery of the roll 61, to swing into engagement with the body of the hag.

flap is pressed downwardly on the bag, will not be transferred through the multiple thicknesses thereof and produce further heat fusion, with loss in-holding volume of the bag. V

i As the upper cylinder'turns from the position illus- 'trated in'Fig. 4"to that of Fig. 8, it will be manifest that flap region 59 of each bag will be folded as each flap passes'under the shoe 58, causing'the flaps to be turned downwardly upon the adhesive-bearing portion of the bag body and brought into firm frictional contact therewith, wherebyto seal the flaps to said body. The

produced'by the machineof the present guide sprockets 93 and 04, which 'engage, respectively, the upper and lower runs of the chain 91.

chain 91 are engaged with a pair of vertically adjustablesprockets 95. In the construction shown, the sprockets 95 are mounted on a slide member 96 the latter being confined for vertical movement in a guide slot 97 formed' in one side ofthe frame 3. VA hand-rotated 1 screw 98' has its lower end swiveled as at '99 to the operationserve s thereby to double the thickness or numher of material pliesfound in the closed or bottom edge of the bag with respect'to the number of plies or thicknesses present inthe'body of the bag. traction of heat from the bag produced by the contact thereof'with the surfaces. of the cooling shoe 58 prevents undesired adhesion between adjoining layers or plies of the bag body following discharge thereof from As. stated, if such adhesion were to occur, it would tend to lessen the holding capacity of the bags. W V

As the cylinder 22 'continuesin its rotation, moving the bags carried thereby past the shoe 58, the eccentricity of the'pe ripheral surface. of the cam 54 produces movement .of' the gripping members in a manner causing the release of the bags gripped thereby. This enables the released bags to fall in the vertical stacking position indicated at S in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In the stacking positions, the bags rest vertically on a stationary table 65. At one end, this table is formed with a stripper extension 66 having engagement with the peripheral portion of the cylinder 22 to positively effect removal of bags from said cylinder. A sliding follower 66 may be provided in conjunction with the table to support the bags 12 in an upright position when on the table. Preferably, the grippingmembers '50 are spring pressed as at 67 whereby to maintain the rollers 53 thereon in positive contact with the peripheral surface of the cam or cams 54.

In order to drive the cutter roll 12, the tubular shaft 23 of the sealing cylinder 21'is shown provided in this instance with a sprocket wheel 90. An endless chain 91 may pass around the peripheral teeth ofthe wheel and, also, around those of a sprocket wheel 92, as indicatedinFig. 3. The wheel 92 is splined to the shaft of the cutter roll '12, thereby causing rotation of said roll with the rotation of the'shaft 23 and producing thedesired cutting action in the 'matterof transversely severing the tubularbag stock'into the bag lengths or sections b. a r

In order to control withcertainty and precision the timing of the cutting roli and the delivery of the bag. -lengths b to the clamping and heating devices of the seal-' "ing roll 21, there is mountedfor rotation on the frame 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; upper and lower pairs of The quick exlaterally offset relationto the that web edge. The joint by which paper, cellulose or cellophane bags ofexcellent 7 5 upper end of the slide 96, while the. intermediate 'portion of the screw isreceived in a complemental threaded bore formed in a stationary frame-mounted bearing .100.

'By turning the screw 98, it will be seen that the slide member 96 may be raised or lowered in its frame-carried guide, thereby raising or lowering the sprockets As the latter are raised or lowered with respect to "agiven position of adjustment, the chain 91 is pulled thereby in a manner rotating the cutter roll 12 in clockwise or counter-clockwise directions with respect to a given position' of operational adjustment. Such adjustments vary the spacing between the radial cutting knives 131 and the stationary frame carried cutter bar 11, thus 'coor dinating the operation of the cutting mechanism with the rotary bag-sealing means. 7

A second sprocket'wheel 101 is mounted in the shaft 23 of the lower cylinder 21 adjacent to the sprocket wheel shown at 90. Around the wheel 101 there .is trained an endless chain 102 .which drives a sprocket Wheel 103 fixed on one end of theishaft 104 of the upper draw rolliq .10, thereby applying rotating power to thedraw rolls.

In this regard the upper shaft 104 carries a gear 105,'the

teeth of which meshwith acompanion gear 106 'fixed to I rotate the shaft 107 of the lower of the rolls 10.

To drive the adhesive applicator 4b and. the mill roll '2,

bevel gearing l08, as shown in 'Fig. 2, drives'a longitudinally extending frame mounted shaft 109. which,

In addition to producing bags having walls composed of but a single thickness of material, the machine'is adaptable to the formation of double thickness bags -of these-called duplex type. V and 16, each bag is formed from a plurality of stock webs drawn fromthemill rollsshown at 2 and 2a. The webs withdrawn from the rolls are trained over the guides 4 "and engage the peripherally grooved applicator roll 4b in a manner so that one side 'of the roll 4b, as it is viewed in Fig. 13, will engage an outer longitudinal edge of one of the webs and the other side of the applicator roll will engage a longitudinal edge of the other of said webs in webs are then passed, as previously described in relation to a single web, through the folding, pressing, cutting,

heat-sealing and' bottom-closing mechanisms, producing a composite bag composed of an inner bag and an outer bag, inseparably joined to form a single container. In this composite bag, as'shown in Fig. 14, the adhesively joined longitudinally extending overlapping edges of the.

two paper webs L and L are disposed in laterally offset relation. As indicated in Fig. 2 the roll 2a may be driven In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention providesan improved automatic machine.

quahty maybe produced economically and rapidly.- f The Between these guide sprockets the upper and lower runs of the.

Thus, as shown in Figs. 15

machine operates continuously, employing continuous rotary motions whenever possible in its movable parts. The apparatus is so constructed that plain bags of single wall thickness may be produced thereon, and also bags of multiple thickness, that is, one bag body within another, as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. It will also be observed that the rotary action of the cylinders 21 and 22 in sealing and folding the bottom edges of the bags to close the same provides: first, a heat-bonding seal with the use of the heated anvil member 42 and the associated clamping member 36. When the bags are transferred to the upper cylinder, the bottom edges thereof are folded upon the body of the bag and adhesively secured thereto while the bag is being positively cooled.

While I have described what I consider to be certain preferred embodiments of the bag-making machine forming the present invention, nevertheless, it will be appreciated by those versed in the art that the constructional details of my improved machine are subject to considerable variation without departing from its essential operating principles, and, therefore, I desire to include within the purview of my invention all constructions that may be said to fall fairly within the scope and definitions of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a bag-forming machine; a frame; means for advancing a paper web longitudinally of the frame; means engaging the web during its advance to produce folding thereof in a manner forming overlapping longitudinally extending seam-forming edges; means for adhesively uniting said edges; rotary knife-carrying cutting means for severing the material transversely thereof at longitudinally spaced intervals to produce a plurality of flattened open-ended bag-forming blanks; rotatable cylinder mechanism arranged in the path of said blanks; end closing gripping devices carried by said mechanism, said devices being engageable with one end of each of said blanks as the latter are delivered to the cylinder mechanism; heating means cooperative with said gripping devices for closing through fusion of its adjacent walls one end of each of said blanks; endless motion-transmitting means for simultaneously rotating said cylinder mechanism and driving said cutting means; and adjustable means operative during sustained operation of the machine for varying the timing of said cutting means relative to that of the cylinder mechanism by adjusting simultaneously the effective length of oppositely disposed runs of said endless motion-transmitting means and thereby rotating the cutting means independently of said cylinder to regulate the timing of its bag-severing operations.

2. In a bag-making machine; a frame; a first cylinder rotatably supported by said frame; feeding means for delivering successively open-ended, flattened, tubular, bag-forming blanks to said cylinder; an anvil-forming jaw yieldably mounted for limited movement substantially radially in said cylinder; a pivotally movable clamping jaw carried by said cylinder adjacent said anvil jaw; means operative during rotation of said cylinder to actuate said movable jaw in a manner separating the same from said anvil jaw to provide for the introduction therebetween of an end of a bag blank fed to the cylinder, said means serving thereafter to cause the movable jaw to move toward said anvil jaw to provide gripping engagement with the blank, said movable jaw having a perforated blank-engaging extremity; and means for heating said anvil jaw to temperatures producing fusion of the ends of bag blanks positioned between said jaws.

3. In a bag-forming machine, a rotatably supported sealing cylinder, said cylinder including an anvil jaw and a movable clamping jaw arranged in immediately adjacent relationship; means uniting said anvil jaw with said cylinder to provide for limited yieldable and substantially inward radial movement on the part thereof in response to pressures applied thereto by the clamping jaw; means pivotally mounting said clamping jaw for movement toward and away from the inwardly yieldable anvil jaw; cam-actuated means cooperative with said cylinder produring timed movement of said clamping jaw relative to the anvil jaw, whereby during rotation of said cylinder said jaws are separated by said cam means to admit of the introduction between the jaws of one end of a tubular bag-forming blank, and said cam means serving thereafter to move said clamping jaws into engagement with the bag-blank to hold the latter in clamped relation between said jaws for rotation in unison with said cylinder; and heating means provided in said anvil jaw, said heating means serving during rotation of said cylinder and while a bag blank is clamped between said jaws to heat the clamped portion of the bag blanks sufliciently to produce fusion and permanent union of the Walls thereof.

4. In a bag-forming machine as specified in claim 3, and wherein the movable clamping jaw has its bag blankengaging portions perforated. v

5. In a bag-forming machine as specified in claim 3, and wherein said clyinder is formed with the radially extending tuck-producing bar stationarily arranged contiguous to said yieldable anvil jaw and operative to engage a bag blank clamped between said jaws to produce in the bag blank a transversely extending tuck, said tuck projecting beyond the other circumference of the cylinder in position to be engaged by associated transfer devices adapted to remove the blank from engagement with said aws.

6. In a bag-forming machine; a supporting frame; means for forming an elongated flattened tube of flexible material; means for severing the tube transversely at longitudinally spaced intervals to produce a plurality of flattened, open-ended, bag-forming blanks;a pair of rotatable cylinders arranged in adjacent order on said frame and disposed in the path of movement of said blanks; movable gripping and heating devices rotatable with said cylinders, said devices being engageable with one end of each of said blanks for closing the same by heat fusion; means on said cylinders for holding the fused ends upon the bodies of said blanks for permanent adhesive union therewith; motor-driven drive means for rotating said cylinders and tube-severing means, said drive means including sprockets rotatable with said cylinders and with said severing means; endless chain means passing around said sprockets; and adjustable idler sprockets cooperative with said chain means for varying the timing of the severing means relative to the operation of said cylinders.

7. In a bag-making machine; a supporting frame; means for advancing a flat bag-forming tubular body in a guided and confined path of travel longitudinally of said frame; rotatable cutting means arranged on said frame for severing said body transversely thereof at longitudinally spaced intervals to produce a plurality of separate bag blanks; an elongated belt conveyor for effecting positive longitudinal advancing movement of said blanks following severing thereof from said body; a cylinder rotatably supported by said frame adjacent the blank-discharging end of said conveyor; gripping means movably carried by said cylinder and with which said blanks are successively engaged for rotation with said cylinder following their discharge from said conveyor; endless power driven motion-transmitting means having opposed, longitudinally extending, spaced runs for imparting synchronous rotation to said cutting means and cylinder; and manually operated adjusting mechanism cooperative with the opposed runs of said motion-transmitting means, during sustained operation of the machine, to vary simultaneously the eflective length of said runs and thereby adjust relatively the tirniug of the cutting means in relation to the operation of the blank-gripping means of said cylinder.

8. In a bag-making machine; a supporting frame; means for advancing in aligned successive order a plurality of bag-forming blanks in a confined path of travel longitudinally of said frame; rotatable cutting means positioned on saidiframe and operative to sever transversely a tubular blank-forming body at longitudinally spaced intervals inthe {successive production of said blanks; rotaryrbl'ankgripping and end-closing'means mounted on said frame in a position to engage and close an end of each of the severaI'blanksypowei' driven means for imparting rotation to-saidend'-closing means; endless drive means having opposed runs and. serving to rotate said cutting means by transmitting power thereto from said-blankrgripping and 9. ha bag-forming machine; a supporting frame;' means for folding and uniting overlapping longitudinal edges of avveb'of flexible material advanced'longitudinally of said frame to produce therefrom a fiat, bag forming-v tubular' body;v a cutting roll rotatably: mounted on said frame and provided with spaced circumferentiallydisposed knives for severing said body transversely at longitudinally spaced intervalsto produce therefromaplurality of separate bag blanks; a cylinder rotatably supported by said frame in longitudinally spaced order from said cutting r'ollymeans carried by said cylinder for gripping and sealingan end of each bag blank to close the same; movable conveyor means for transferring said blanks-successively from said cutting roll to the end-closing means of said cylinder; power driven means for imparting. continuous rotation to said cylinder; aligned drive devices rotatable; in unison with said cylinder and cutting roll; an endless flexible power-transmitting belt trained around said devices for imparting rotation tolsaidcutti'ng r'oll synchronously vvitli the rotation and operatibn of said cylinderandtheblank gripping and ,sealing'fneans car'ried'thereby, said-belt in eluding upper and loweri-uns'yupper and-Ioiverpairs of relativelyspaced.guides carried by said frameaand occupying fixedpositions' thereon, a pair of said guides being disposedfor engagement with eac'h of said belt runsbe-f tween said cutting i011 and cylinder; a movable r'nemberl adjustably carried by "said frame; and upper and lower, adjustable, belt-engaging guides carried by said movable member for simultaneous engagementwith both runs of V saidbeltdevice to vary the eflEective length thereof their active operation. V 9

V l OrBag-forming apparatus as defined in claim 9, ar1d wherein manually operated; screw-controlled mechanism is 1 provided for adjustingthe operating positions ofthemov able member carrying said adjustable belt-runjengaging V guides.

11 Bag-forming apparatus according to claim 9, and wherein saidendless belt comprises a link chain and the aligned drive devices comprise sprockets.

References Cited in the file of thi s patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Haas et' aI. Nov. 24,

during 7 

